All three of our perfume bottles
(Image credit: @kaitlyn_mclintock)
As a beauty editor, I test a lot of fragrances, and I mean a lot. This month alone, I’ve tested 12 new (or new-to-me) perfumes. My vanity is cluttered with an undisclosed number of chic, scent-filled bottles, ranging from classic vanilla fragrances to fancy florals, citrus scents, and beyond. However, there’s one fragrance I keep coming back to even though it’s been a full year(!) since I first sniffed it. I’m talking about Henry Rose Torn Eau de Parfum ($120). (For anyone unfamiliar, Henry Rose is a clean, genderless, fine-fragrance brand founded by Michelle Pfeiffer.)
I’m not the only one who loves it. A couple of months ago, my mom and sister were over at my apartment. I took the opportunity to show them my new favorite scent, and they both agreed that it was divine—divine enough to ask me to get them a bottle of their own. Like a good daughter and sister, I obliged. Now, all three of us wear the same perfume. I think that’s really something special. After all, I’m 29, my sister is 25, and my mom is 62. Unlike other fragrances that veer too youthful or too mature, we all agree this one is ageless.
Henry Rose
Torn Eau De Parfum With Vanilla + Vetiver
Fragrance notes: Vanilla bean, praline, freesia, rose, violet, jasmine, musk, sandalwood, vetiver roots
I was introduced to this perfume a little over a year ago when I was writing a roundup of the best sultry vanilla perfumes. Back then, I described it as equally floral, earthy, and creamy. I also said that once it dried down, it turned into something warmer and spicier, probably thanks to the praline and vetiver root notes.
After wearing it for a year straight, I agree with my original review. However, I feel it’s necessary to expand on it, especially after hearing how my mom and sister have described it. First of all, we agree that the descriptors “warm” and “spicy” are the most accurate. Notes like vanilla bean, praline, and musk give it a deep, comforting feel, while the vetiver gives it an almost bitter edge of earthiness. The fresh floral notes of freesia, rose, violet, and jasmine lend a light sophistication. I wholeheartedly relate to one review I saw on Sephora’s website. It said, “I have over 200 bottles of perfume, and I don’t have anything like this one! It’s so cozy and unique!”
It’s also worth noting that, like most perfumes, it smells slightly different on all three of us. On me, I detect the creamy vanilla note the most. On my sister, the fresh florals are more forward. On my mom, the warm, spicy notes are prominent. Despite that, the unique combination of notes creates a special scent that feels just as wearable for my 20-something sister as it does for my 62-year-old mom. In other words, it’s sophisticated and expensive-smelling without veering anywhere near “grandma” territory. It’s truly and utterly ageless and will continue to sit on the forefront of our vanities. Now we’re just trying to figure out how to send personalized thank-you notes to Michelle Pfeiffer…
Make sure you read up on Pfeiffer’s fragrance layering tips.
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